Trouser cuff tack



B. M. EIKEN TROUSER CUFF TACK Filed-Nov. 22, 1954 Nov. 11, 19582,860,081

, INVENTOR.

BE/PT N [/KE/V BY :97 TOR/V5 f United States Patent O TROUSER CUFF TACKv Bert M. Eiken, Chicago, 111. Application November 22, 1954, Serial No.470,310

6 Claims. (Cl. 154-535) This invention relates to a new and usefulimprovement in trouser cutf tacks.

A trouser cufi tack is a means for fastening the cuff to the trouserleg, so that the cuff will remain in a normal turned-up position, neatlydisposed against the trouser leg. In the absence of tacks to retaincuffs in position, cuffs sag and fall away from the trouser leg, andpresent an untidy andslovenly appearance.

Currently, cuffs are tacked to the trouser leg by hand sewing withthread. Four such tacks are used on a trouser, and are usually disposedat the sides of each trouser leg, at the longitudinal seams thereof.

The practice of hand tacking cuffs with thread has been provenineflicient, especially for the dry cleaning industry, because thethread tacks need to be cut open and removed by hand each time a trouseris cleaned, in order to brush out the accumulation of dirt that lodgesinside the cuff.

The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the time consuming handsewed tack, and provide an improved adhesive type of tack which iseasily ripped open, and is particularly soluble in the ordinary drycleaning fluid.

An object of this invention is the provision of a trouser culf tack thatis temporary but sufiiciently substantial for the purpose intended. v ,f

Another object is the provision of a trouser cuff tack than can beeasily ripped open for the cleaning of dirt from the cuffs.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a trousercuff tack that is soluble.

Yet another object is the provision of a trouser cufi tack that isparticularly soluble in the ordinary dry cleaning fluid.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an adhesive typeof trouser culf tack.

Still a further object is the provision of a trouser cuff that can beconveniently and facilely applied to a trouser.

Yet a further object is the provision of a trouser cuif tack having alimited pressure-sensitive zone for temporarily positioning the tack,and a gutta-percha body for permanently bonding the cuff to the trouserleg through means of heat and pressure.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention,-showingthe cuff tacks in a continuous laminated strip form, gathered in a roll,and showing the various ply thereof broken away to more clearly disclosethe relative structure;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of Fig. l, modified by the omission of thetop guard ply;

7 2,860,081 Patented Nov. '11,- 1958 Fig. 4 is an elevation view of thelower portion of a trouser leg, showing the tack operatively disposed inthe cuff;

Fig. 5 is a section view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4, showing, on theleft, a tack temporarily fastened to the inside surface of a cuif, priorto operative fixation, and, on the right, a tack operatively fixing thecuff to the trouser leg; and

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged section view taken along line 2-2 showingadhesive layers and the adherence of the top guard strip to the adhesivein an apertured area.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, thereis shown a roll 10, having a free end portion 11 thereof, comprising acontinuous laminated strip of trouser cuff tacks. For practicalpurposes, an individual tack may be considered as consisting of a smallsection 12 of the continuous strip, such as between cut-oif lines 13 and14. Obviously a plurality of such sections, connected, would also servethe intended purpose, such as the section between cut-01f lines 13 and15.

The strip of tacks consists of a four-ply laminated structure. The basicply consists of a thin flexible web or sheet or strip of paper or clothor other suitable material 16, both sides of which are coated withanondrying pressure-sensitive tacky adhesive material 17.

To each side of said adhesive strip 16, is adhered a corresponding sheetor strip of thermoplastic material, such as gutta-percha 18 and 19, thatbecomes sticky or tacky upon the application of heat thereto, and whichis soluble in the'ordinary dry cleaning liquids, such as, benzine,gasoline, naphtha, benzol, turpentine, carbon tetrachloride,tetrachloro-methane, perchlorethylene, stoddard solvents, or the like.

The facing gutta-percha strip 19 is provided with a series of spacedapertures 21, forming an open network, thereby exposing the underlyingadhesive areas 22. Obviously, any network or pattern of spaced apertureswill serve the intended purpose. The adhesive areas serve to temporarilyadhere the tack to the fabric, and the imperforate gutta-percha areasserve to permanently bond the cuff to the trouser leg.

A guard strip 23, of material having only a slight adhering affinity forthe adhesive 17, is superimposed over the perforated gutta-percha strip19, and is held thereon by its adherence to the adhesive in the aperturelimited areas 22.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of Fig. 1 in that the top guard ply isomitted. The top guard ply, while desirable, is not essential.

Operation: To secure a cuff to a trouser leg, an individual tacksection, such as section 12, is detached from the end of the rolled tackstrip. If the guard ply is present, it is peeled off and set aside. Thetack proper is then interposed between the cuff 24 and trouser leg 25,the exposed adhesive area 22 disposed abutting the cuff. Pressure isthen applied by the fingers to the back of the tack, at the zone of theadhesive area 22 to temporarily adhere the tack to the culf, as shown inFig. 5, the left portion thereof. Obviously, if desired, the tack can beoriented so that the exposed adhesive area abuts the trouser leg. Theapplication of finger pressure would then cause the tack to temporarilyadhere to the trouser leg instead of to the cuff.

With the cuff disposed in a normal turned-up position, adjacent thetrouser leg, heat and pressure are applied, as by means of an electricor steam iron, or the like, to soften the gutta-percha and bond the cuffand trouser permanently together, as shown in Fig. 5, the right portionthereof. The tack is disposed between the cuff and th o s l and heat andpressure is then applied a;

the garment, at the zoneof the tack, to permanently bond the cuff andtrouser leg together.

When the trouser is to be dry cleaned, the gutta-percha bond can beeasily ripped apart with the fingers, the lodged:dirt cleaned fronr thecuff, ,andwthe, trouser lITi-J. 5 mersed in the ;cleani ng. fluid.;During gthefimmersion and; 7 normal cleaning process, the gutta-percharemaining}; bonded; to .Ihe-II'OJJSQI fabric -=.will -,bedissolved :by;the; dry cleaning fluid, and :every vestige ;of the gutta-pericha will1disappears, Gutt arpercha -is .soluble in the persent-lyi 11 used drycleaning. fluids. This:;rnakes .;;the ;gut;t-a,-pereha tack peculiarlywell adapted to the dry cleaning industry,

After :the,;trouser :is cleaned; the cuff is again; afiixedzto thetrouser-leg by; means of the above 1 describedntaok and;;* through.meansofthe above described methods a I 15 The characteristi q feature:of this. invention;- is -the;- pro vision of a. three-ply:trouserw-cufl-tack haying a limited pressure-sensitive adhesive zonefontemporarily;position-j ing :the;tack, and having agutta-perchabody-element, for permanently bonding the cuff totheglegthroughmeans of" heat and pressure. 1

Obviously manyamodificationstand variations ofthe present invention-arepossible inethe light of thegabove teachings. It;is thereforeto:be-understood,: that-within; the scope of the appended claims, theinventionamay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired, to beprotected by Letters Patent of theUnited States is;

1. A trouser cufftack comprisinga, a web coated on each sidewith-pressure-sensitive" adhesive material; thermoplasticmaterialafiixed to a first side of said Webby the saidpressure-sensitive adhesive material thereon, said thermoplasticmaterial completely covering said first side; and a second layer ofthermoplastic material afiixed to the M other side of said web by saidpressure-sensitive adhesive material, the said secondlayer ofthermoplastic material covering only a portion of the said pressuresensitive, adhesive material thereon.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein-the thermoplastic material and saidsecond layer of thermoplasticmaterial are soluble .in textile fabric drycleaning liquids.

3. The article of claiml wherein'the'said'second layer of thermoplasticmaterial on-said other side is perforated to cover the saidpressure-sensitive adhesive material e nin an. pen. network .P tmn.v

4. A trouser cuff tack, comprising: a flexible web coated on each sidewith pressure-sensitive adhesive material; a sheet of gutta-perchaaffixed to a first side of said web by the said pressure-sensitiveadhesive material thereon, said gutta-percha completely covering saidfirst side; and a second sheet of-gutta-percha aflixed to the other sideof said web by the said pressure-sensitive adhesive material thereon,the --.second-.-sheet.- of gutta-percha covering only a portion ofthesaid .pressurersensitive adhesive material on said other side.

5. The. article of .claim 4 ,whereinitheguttaepercha; sheet on saidother side is perforated, .to form an open network sheet.

6. A continuous trouser cuff tack, comprising: a flexible web in theform of an elongated strip coated on each side with non-dryingpressure-sensitive adhesive material;

a thinastrip. ofyguttarpercha'; of-a size, correspondingnin length andwidth to said web, superimposed and affixed; to a firstside;ofysaid'iwebby: the said non-drying pressure-l sensitiveadhesive-material1'thereon,x said guttaepercha; completelycoveringsaidrfirst side; anda. second'thin strip of gutta-.p ercha,,of.sizesubstantially corresponding'in length andjwidthsto saidzweb,superimposed andaffixed' to the other side of said webebythesaidnon-drying.:.pres-..-v sure-sensitive, adhesive material, thereon, saidsecond stripibeing* pfirlforatedwto form .an open network.

Great Britain Aug. 10; 19 33

1. A TROUSER CUFF TACK, COMPRISING: A WEB COATED ON EACH SIDE WITHPRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL, THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL AFFIXED TOA FIRST SIDE OF SAID WEB BY THE SAID PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVEMATERIAL THEREON, SAID THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL COMPLETELY COVERING SAIDFIRST SIDE, AND A SECOND LAYER OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL AFFIXED TO THEOTHER SIDE OF SAID WEB BY SAID PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL, THESAID SECOND LAYER OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL COVERING ONLY A PORTION OFTHE SAID PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL THEREON.